Recap Of ‘Marrying The Game’ Season Premiere

This week’s premiere of the second season of VH1’s Marrying The Game picked up from where Game, aka rapper Jayceon Taylor, and his on-again, off-again fiancée, Tiffany Cambridge, left off in the last season: their relationship on the rocks.

Though wedding plans have been put on hold until further notice, the pair works to keep their family intact by co-parenting their son, Justice, and daughter, Cali, while living in separate homes. As you might imagine, that task isn’t so easy, as awkward tension persists between the two, highlighted when Game drops off the kids to Tiffany, who appears resentful and uncomfortable in his presence. Game, however, remains optimistic that he can get his family back intact and under the same roof.

During one of his confessionals, he admits that although Tiffany gets on his nerves, he misses her and is working to find a happy medium. “Hopefully we can get back to where we started,” he says.

In the meantime, Game and Tiffany work in tandem to balance work and parenthood. Game puts his rap persona in the backseat and takes the wheel of fatherhood as he drives Justice to karate practice and has a very heartwarming exchange with Cali. “When you’re gone I cry so bad,” Cali tells Game, bringing out the Compton rapper’s more sensitive side. Who said thugs didn’t have a heart?

When Game does have the kids under his roof, however, all conventions go out the window. The best part of having Game as your dad? The kids get to play video games, eat pizza, and drink as much soda as you want. “Who’s house is more fun?” he asks his daughter, who without hesitation, says, “Daddy’s.” Also on the show, Game promotes his workout program, “60 Days Of Fitness,” an intense weekly run through L.A.’s Runyon Canyon Park.

Later in the episode, while at Cali’s ballet class, Tiffany confides in Tatiana, the wife of Taydoe (Game’s manager) about the struggles of dating a rapper and complains about the things that led her to call off their wedding. For example: Game coming home at 4 a.m. from the studio and not having time to spend with his family. “I didn’t take the time to evaluate the life of a rapper’s wife. It’s a bit different than I anticipated,” she says. “My whole life I thought I was going to marry a doctor, a lawyer or an Indian chief,” she jokes. Tiffany also goes on to have a chat with Keenen Ivory Wayans' ex-wife, Daphne Wayans, who encourages her to open up more to Game and extend an olive branch so that they can be on one accord.

But when Tiffany strikes up the nerve to send Game a text message so that they can talk, he’s too busy poppin’ bottles in the club. “When I do these club appearances or host these events, it’s good money. It’s business,” he says. Though it’s unclear as to whether or not the couple will find their way back into one another’s arms, the season’s first episode indicates that it won’t be a walk in the park.—Gerren Keith Gaynor (@MRGERRENALIST)